Black currant plant named ‘Ben Como’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Ribes nigrum , ‘Ben Como’, characterized by its consistent high yields of fruit, its upright and compact growth habit, its high degree of fruit set, its resistance to white pine blister rust and its suitability for machine harvesting, and in producing a larger plant, smaller berry, and fruit that ripens later than ‘Ben Chaska’.

Botanical classification: Ribes nigrum.

Cultivar designation: ‘Ben Como’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applicationfiled for a plant derived from the same breeding program that isentitled Ribes Plant Named ‘Ben Chaska’ (U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 13/317,787).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ribesnigrum named ‘Ben Como’ and is hereinafter referred to by the cultivarname ‘Ben Como’. ‘Ben Como’ represents a new cultivar of black currantgrown for fruit production.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program by theInventor in Invergowrie, Scotland. The Inventor made a cross in 1984between an unnamed proprietary plant in the Inventor's breeding program,reference no. SCRI P10/9/20, as the female parent and reference no.Ri-74020-16 as the male parent. The Inventor selected ‘Ben Como’,reference no. SCRI D16/8/14 in 1986 as a single unique plant amongst theseedlings that resulted from the above cross.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished underdirection of the Inventor by hardwood cuttings in Dundee, Scotland in1990. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has shown that the uniquefeatures are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Ben Como’ as a new and unique cultivar of Ribes nigrum.

-   -   1. ‘Ben Como’ exhibits consistently high yields of fruit.    -   2. ‘Ben Como’ exhibits an upright and compact growth habit.    -   3. ‘Ben Como’ exhibits a high degree of fruit set.    -   4. ‘Ben Como’ exhibits resistance to white pine blister rust        (Cronartium ribicola).    -   5. ‘Ben Como’ is readily harvested by machines.    -   6. ‘Ben Como’ produces a larger plant, smaller berry, and fruit        that ripens later than ‘Ben Chaska’.

‘Ben Como’ can be readily compared to its parent plants. SCRI P10/9/20,the female parent, differs from ‘Ben Como’ in lacking resistance towhite pine blister rust, in being less cold hardy, in having a lesscompact plant habit, and in exhibiting less fruit set. Ri-74020-16, themale parent, differs from ‘Ben Como’ in having a poorer growth rate andless vigor, in having less consistent and lower fruit yields, and inlacking suitability for machine harvest. ‘Ben Como’ can be most closelycompared to the cultivars ‘Titania’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,439) and‘Ben Lomond’ (not patented). ‘Titania’ is similar to ‘Ben Como’ inexhibiting resistance to white pine blister rust, but differs from ‘BenComo’ in having less consistent and lower crop levels, in having a lesscompact and less manageable plant habit, and in flowering later in theseason. ‘Ben Lomond’ is similar to ‘Ben Como’ in having a high fruityield, but differs from ‘Ben Como’ in lacking resistance to white pineblister rust and powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca mors-uvae), in having aless compact and less upright plant habit, and in having poorer fruitquality in terms of juice color and flavor. ‘Ben Como’ can also becompared to the cultivar ‘Ben Chaska’ (U.S. Plant Patent pending)*, acultivar from the same breeding program. ‘Ben Como’ is similar to ‘BenChaska’ in having a consistently high yields, in having a compact andupright growth habit, in degree of fruit set, and in being resistant towhite pine blister rust. ‘Ben Chaska’ differs from ‘Ben Como’ inflowering slightly earlier in the season, in having a lower vigor,smaller plant size, and larger fruit than ‘Ben Como’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Ribes cultivar. The photographswere taken of five year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoorsin a field in Becker, Minn.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the habit of ‘Ben Como’(plants in the front of the row) in comparison to the plant habit of‘Titania’ (plants in the back of the row).

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the fruit of ‘BenComo’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage ‘BenComo’. The colors in the photographs are as close as possible withdigital photography techniques available, the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the newcultivar of Ribes.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of plants 10 years in age asgrown outdoors in a trial field in Becker, Minn. The phenotype of thenew cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, andcultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withThe 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Plant type.—Perennial shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Upright and compact.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about an average of 1.4 m in            height and 2.2 m in width.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 4.        -   Diseases and pests.—Observed to be resistant to white pine            blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) with improved powdery            mildew (Sphaerotheca mors-uvae) resistance.        -   Culture.—Readily machine harvested.        -   Propagation.—Hardwood and greenwood (softwood) cuttings.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate to vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem.—Mature stem 200C in color; new growth, N200D in color,            surface is glabrous on new growth with smooth bark when            mature, main branches up to 1.4 m in length and an average            of 7 mm in width.        -   Leaf bud shape.—Obclavate, bracts imbricate.        -   Leaf bud size.—Average 8 mm in length, 3 mm in width.        -   Number of leaf buds.—On 20 cm long stem average of 20 buds,            ranging from 6 to 30 buds, per stem.        -   Bracts.—Deltoid in shape, apex retuse to subacute, base            truncate, average 5 mm in width, 5 mm in length, turning dry            and papery, margin entire and fimbriate, inner surface 52C            in color to 56A towards base, turning 164A when dry, outer            surface 51A in color to 51D towards base turning 164A when            dry, glabrous on upper surface, glandular on lower surface;            glands <1 mm in diameter, round in shape, 14B in color.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Cordate to auriculate.        -   Leaf apex.—Subacute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color on upper and lower surface            145B, slightly puberulent with fine minute hairs on lower            surface.        -   Leaf margins.—3 to 5 lobed to palmatifid with margins            serrate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate clusters of 5-7 leaves, cluster            base sheathed by bracts averaging 6 mm in length and 4 mm in            width, N199D to 166D in color.        -   Leaf orientation.—Upright to 20 degree from main stem.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface glabrous, lower surface            glandular.        -   Leaf color.—Upper surface ranging from 139B to 141B; lower            surface ranging from 138B and 137C.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 1.5 cm in length (ranging from 0.5 cm            to 2.2 cm), an average of 2.8 cm in width (ranging from 1 cm            to 4 cm in width).        -   Leaf quantity.—About 45 per 20 cm stem.        -   Petioles.—Round in shape, an average of 3.8 cm in length and            1 mm in width, 144A in color, surface minutely puberulent.        -   Stipules.—None observed.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Bloom season.—April 25 to May 5 in Becker, Minn.        -   Inflorescence.—Drooping raceme, average 2.3 cm in length 1.5            cm in width, 15 racemes per stem 20 cm in length.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—5 to 12 days depending on            weather conditions at time of bloom.        -   Pedicels.—Round 1 mm in width, 1 to 3 mm in length, 145B in            color, surface has sparse hairs, minute bract at base of            pedicel; <1 mm in length and width, same color as leaves.        -   Peduncles.—Round, an average of 2.2 cm in length and 2.5 mm            in width, surface has sparse hairs, 145B in color.        -   Flowers.—Campanulate, 6 to 11 flowers per raceme.        -   Flower buds.—Globose in shape, 2 to 4 mm in length and            width, 144B in color.        -   Flower size.—Average of 5 mm in length, 6 mm in width.        -   Sepals.—Five, strongly recurved, 2 mm in width, 6 mm in            length fused at base, color 144A on upper and 144B on lower            surface, rounded apex, margins entire, sparsely pubescent on            upper surface and pubescent on lower surface.        -   Petals.—Five fused in hypanthium, 2 mm in length, 1 mm in            width, 145D in color on upper and lower surface, glabrous on            upper and lower surface.        -   Androecium.—Epipetalous, anthers are basifixed, 160B in            color, 1 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width, filaments 2 mm in            length, <0.5 mm in width, 144B in color.        -   Gynoecium.—1, style is 4 mm in length, 1 mm in width, 145B            in color, ovary is inferior, 4 mm in length and 4 mm in            width, globose in shape, 144D in color, bifid stigma is            minute 144D to N137A in color.-   Fruit description:    -   -   Fruit number.—30 to 70 fruits per branch 30 cm long.        -   Fruit yield.—2.7 kg per plant in Becker, Minn. on 5 year-old            plants (compares to 2.2 kg for ‘Titania’ and 1.6 kg for ‘Ben            Chaska’ in the same trial).        -   Fruit set.—High, 65 to 80%.        -   Fruit size.—1.1 cm in diameter and height.        -   Fruit weight.—Average of 114.05 g/100 berries.        -   Fruit chemistry.—Averages: Brix 14.4, specific gravity            1.0603, acidity 4.2065 g/L tartaric and 3.93 g/L citric,            anthoncyanins 1.274 (430 nm), 3.0145 (515 nm), 0.529 (580            nm), ascorbic acid 71.1 ml/100 ml.        -   Position of maximum diameter.—Midway between proximal and            distal ends.        -   Fruit shape.—Globose.        -   Fruit symmetry.—Symmetric.        -   Persistence of calyx.—Persistent at harvest, N199C in color,            3 mm in length.        -   Surface.—Glossy, smooth except for slightly protruding            lenticels.        -   Lenticels.—50 to 65 per fruit, 200D in color.        -   Waxiness of skin.—Weak.        -   Thickness of skin.—Thin.        -   Skin color.—Immature 178A, maturing 186B, mature 202A.        -   Color of flesh.—Blend of 160B.        -   Fruit maturity date.—Early July.        -   Seed.—Ovate, 20 per fruit, 1.6 mm in length, 15 mm in width,            163A in color.        -   Firmness (without skin).—Soft.        -   Texture of flesh.—Pulpy, juicy.        -   Cropping frequency.—Annually.        -   Flavor.—Sweet, tart.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Black Currant plant named ‘Ben Como’as herein illustrated and described.